luni, 12 decembrie 2016

Syria's military says it holds 98 percent of eastern Aleppo, squeezing remaining rebels and civilians into tiny sector Read More

Islamic State militants capture Palmyra despite heavy Russian strikes

By
Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Islamic State captured the
ancient city of Palmyra on Sunday despite dozens of Russian airstrikes
to push back the militants a day after they briefly seized the city in
eastern Syria, a war monitor and the militants said. In the government's
first official admission that Palmyra had fallen once again to the
militants, state media quoted the governor of the province of Homs,
where the city is located, as saying the army had pulled out of the
city. "The army is using all means to prevent the terrorists from
staying in Palmyra," Homs Governor Talal Barazi was quoted as saying,
hours after IS and a Britain-based monitoring group both said the
militants had full control of the city.

Reuters

China flies nuclear bomber over South China Sea to 'send a message' to Donald Trump

In
a show of strength, China has flown a nuclear-capable bomber beyond its
borders in what US officials say is in response to Trump's phone call
with the Taiwan president. The Xian H-6 bomber flew along the disputed
'nine-dash line' around the South China Sea on 8 December. This marks
the second time Beijing has flown bombers in the disputed area since
Trump was elected president, US officials told Fox News.

International Business Times UK

Status of main battle fronts in Iraq and Syria

Syrian
forces pushed forward in Syria's second city of Aleppo as thousands
fled rebel-held areas. Since mid-November, forces loyal to President
Bashar al-Assad have been focused on Aleppo, where they have retaken
more than 85 percent of the one-time rebel bastion in the city's east.

AFP

Reports: Aleppo neighborhood retaken by Syrian forces

Failed
attempts at peace The international community has tried and failed to
hammer out a ceasefire for the city, which appears on the brink of
falling back into regime control. The government controls western Aleppo
and its troops have made significant territorial gains in the east
since its forces entered the enclave by ground on November 27, backed by
continual airstrikes. They have now taken more than three quarters of
the area. Rebel groups held eastern Aleppo for more than four years
following the Arab Spring uprising, and a Syrian regime siege on the
area had essentially cut it off from the outside world, sparking a
humanitarian crisis there. Photos:Heartbreaking images following Aleppo

CNN

Bomb blast kills dozens at Cairo Coptic church

A
bombing at Cairo’s largest Coptic cathedral killed at least 25 people
and wounded 49, many of them women and children attending Sunday mass,
in the deadliest attack on Egypt’s Christian minority in years.The
attack comes as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi fights battles on several
fronts. His economic reforms have angered the poor, a bloody crackdown
on the Muslim Brotherhood has seen thousands jailed, whilst an
insurgency rages in Northern Sinai, led by the Egyptian branch of
Islamic State.The militant group has also carried out deadly attacks in
Cairo and has urged its supporters to launch attacks around the world in
recent weeks as it goes on the defensive in its Iraqi and Syrian
strongholds.There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but exiled
Brotherhood officials and home-grown militant groups condemned the
attack. (Reuters)See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on
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